The Britishisms are coming by kpo

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The Britishisms are coming

POSTED BY: KPO
UPDATED: Thursday, October 18, 2012 03:44
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Monday, October 1, 2012 3:37 AM

Sometimes you own the libs. Sometimes, the libs own you.

A break from the politics, an interesting article about British English invading America: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-19670686

I won't post the text because then you'd miss the graphs...

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Monday, October 1, 2012 4:56 AM

KWICKO

"We'll know our disinformation program is complete when everything the American public believes is false." -- William Casey, Reagan's presidential campaign manager & CIA Director (from first staff meeting in 1981)

Bloody hell! I'd no idea, mate. Tha's crackin' good news, eh wot?

"I supported Bush in 2000 and 2004 and intellegence [sic] had very little to do with that decision." - Hero

"I was wrong" - Hero, 2012

Mitt Romney, introducing his running mate: "Join me in welcoming the next President of the United States, Paul Ryan!"

Rappy's response? "You're lying, gullible ( believing in some BS you heard on msnbc ) or hard of hearing."

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Monday, October 1, 2012 5:01 AM

NIKI2

Gettin' old, but still a hippie at heart...

Oh Bollocks!

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Monday, October 1, 2012 7:14 AM

FREMDFIRMA

Oh sod off, ya bloody wanker!

Actually in my case adapting british insults came from a pair of activists for an NGO which wound up stuck here for a long time due to all manner of paperwork hassle, and having nothing much else to do, threw in with us for a while.
I miss those guys, I do.

-F

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Monday, October 1, 2012 8:26 AM

OLDENGLANDDRY

Perhaps someone might pass this on to Dick Van Dyke.

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Monday, October 1, 2012 12:22 PM

AURAPTOR

America loves a winner!

Sources which have added to my increased use of Britishisms are the following -

Wallace and Gromit, Being Human, and of course, Spike, from Buffy and Angel

Oh,and I tend to write 'centre' too, I suppose from watching Wimbledon so many times, while growing up.

" I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend. "

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Monday, October 1, 2012 1:12 PM

KWICKO

I taught my mom-in-law "shirty" while playing Words With Friends. She didn't believe it was a real word, so she looked it up.

"I supported Bush in 2000 and 2004 and intellegence [sic] had very little to do with that decision." - Hero

"I was wrong" - Hero, 2012

Mitt Romney, introducing his running mate: "Join me in welcoming the next President of the United States, Paul Ryan!"

Rappy's response? "You're lying, gullible ( believing in some BS you heard on msnbc ) or hard of hearing."

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Monday, October 1, 2012 10:24 PM

MAGONSDAUGHTER

Quote:
Originally posted by Kwicko:
Bloody hell! I'd no idea, mate. Tha's crackin' good news, eh wot?

That was terrible. Go and stand at the back of the class.

Not being British, I am used to my everyday language being a hotchpotch of 'isms' - the complaints here for years have been about how American english is pushing us to the brink of some terrible linguistic catastrophe, that given how we speak would be pretty unlikely.

The beauty of English is how it changes so quickly, absorbing other cultures, grabbing hold of anything new, taking joy in finding new ways of saying things. I love it.

When I speak or write, I am rarely concious of whether I am using a Britishism, Americanism or local venacular.

Saying this, I have been puzzled when Americans don't understand words like fortnight or queue both much more eloquent than 'two weeks' or 'line up'

Living in the north of England I adopted 'manky' - describes untidy, dirty... and a few other gems.

I remember that people were bemused by my use of 'sticky beak' where they used 'nosey parker'

What are your local linguistic specialities?

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Tuesday, October 2, 2012 7:52 PM

FREMDFIRMA

Quote:
Originally posted by Magonsdaughter:
What are your local linguistic specialities?

I speek Yooper (Michigan, North), Troll (Michigan, South) and Bawlamerese (Baltimore, Maryland) quite fluently...
Meh heh heh.

Lexicon of Bawlamarese
(How to co-moon-icate wiff the natives)
http://www.baltimorehon.com/

THE MICHIGAN ACCENT
Pronunciations Unique to Us
http://michigannative.com/ma_pronunciations.shtml

Apparently what I don't speak, is English - Yuriko mocks me about knowing only one language, and speaking it BADLY!
My Sensai was awful for this too, he was originally from Okinawa and emigrated to Texas, then moved east - just imagine a southern-fried Yoda, and you'd be pretty close.

-Frem

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Wednesday, October 3, 2012 5:42 AM

KPO

Sometimes you own the libs. Sometimes, the libs own you.

Quote:
What are your local linguistic specialities?

Describing an attractive person as 'fit', where Americans would use the word 'hot', e.g "She's fit". I don't think I've done that since high school though; "she's hot" is better.

I actually welcome a lot of Americanisms in Britain - they often fill a need, or replace a rubbish British word. 'Cool' is infinitely better than 'trendy', and 'video games' is better than 'computer games', and I sometimes use the word 'gotten' in my writing because it makes the sentence flow better. Having said that, when there's a perfectly serviceable British word using an Americanism is unforgiveable - a British person would rightly be ostracised for calling people 'dude', instead of 'mate'.

It's not personal. It's just war.

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Wednesday, October 3, 2012 12:52 PM

MAGONSDAUGHTER

Yes, 'dude' is lamentable here.

Never been fond of 'guy' instead of 'bloke'

'Whatever'???? Don't know where that came from, but its ubiqitious use by children in response to adults is awful.

What about 'random'? Random turned up randomly, and now is used randomly to describe things and events which I do not consider to be at all random?

http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=random

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Wednesday, October 3, 2012 1:22 PM

BYTEMITE

Oh gosh darn to heck. What's the dill, we ainna fell English, we spake rill good in Utah. Shoot y'all.

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Wednesday, October 3, 2012 4:47 PM

MAGONSDAUGHTER

I like the way the Brits use 'bollocks' in the same way.

ie
Bollocks - you are lying
Bollocks - I've just hammered my thumb
'It's the bollocks' - that is the best thing ever

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Thursday, October 4, 2012 4:10 AM

KPO

Sometimes you own the libs. Sometimes, the libs own you.

Quote:
Although I do watch a shocking amount of British television and am trying to get in the habit of saying arse instead of ass (because let's face, arse sounds way cooler)

That's interesting because 'ass' is making big inroads here. I think most British teenagers would now say 'ass' over 'arse'. I'm probably leaning that way myself but I'm kind of in a weird position where I feel one sounds affectedly American and the other sounds affectedly British. Having said that I'm still solidly behind 'arsehole' over 'asshole'.

It's not personal. It's just war.

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Thursday, October 4, 2012 9:10 AM

NIKI2

Gettin' old, but still a hippie at heart...

I'd like to get used to "arse", as it does sound better than "ass". 'Fraid the only time I use "ass" tho' is to offend or describe something/someone I'm angry with (like drivers...), so I deliberately WANT it to be offensive.

As to

Quote:
Yes, 'dude' is lamentable here.

Never been fond of 'guy' instead of 'bloke'

I agree wholeheartedly...especially living in Crazy California, I cringe at how youngsters use "dude".

But then I'm just a grumpy old lady...

I love Britspeak; unfortunately I've never made the effort to use it, just 'cuz I'm lazy. But I adore the language, and I love ANY use of real "language", Brith or Yank, since what I hear is mostly lowest-common-denominator and no effort to use different words.

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Thursday, October 4, 2012 9:26 AM

WULFENSTAR

http://youtu.be/VUnGTXRxGHg

Note: Using British vernacular (i.e. "the loo, spot on, cheeky, bloody") when you are an American, does NOT make you sound worldly, traveled, or sophisticated. You just sound like a douche. That is all.

"None of you seem to understand. I'm not locked in here with you... YOU are locked in here with ME."

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Thursday, October 4, 2012 11:41 AM

MAGONSDAUGHTER

Quote:
Originally posted by WULFENSTAR:
Note: Using British vernacular (i.e. "the loo, spot on, cheeky, bloody") when you are an American, does NOT make you sound worldly, traveled, or sophisticated. You just sound like a douche. That is all.

"None of you seem to understand. I'm not locked in here with you... YOU are locked in here with ME."

You see, I use all those terms and never knew they were British.

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Thursday, October 4, 2012 1:06 PM

FREMDFIRMA

Quote:
Originally posted by BIGDAMNHERO42:
I'm also one of those people who has twenty different uses for the word 'dude'. I'm telling you, tone and fluctuation are everything. That's what happens when you were practically raised by your brother.

Hoo lordy, you and some of my family, and my sisters moronic sounding valley-speak I actually have to TRANSLATE for other people, yergh!
Not to mention I know a couple guys who talk like boomhauer, and yes, people ACTUALLY TALK LIKE THAT, and a lot of em are big biker guys which makes miscommunication a bit more of a problem than otherwise.

DuuuuuuuuuuDDe!?

-Frem

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Thursday, October 4, 2012 2:00 PM

KPO

Sometimes you own the libs. Sometimes, the libs own you.

Quote:
Originally posted by WULFENSTAR:
Note: Using British vernacular (i.e. "the loo, spot on, cheeky, bloody") when you are an American, does NOT make you sound worldly, traveled, or sophisticated. You just sound like a douche. That is all.

http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2012/09/25/romney-my-ads-have-bee
n-spot-on/comment-page-6/

It's not personal. It's just war.

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Wednesday, October 17, 2012 4:32 AM

KPO

Sometimes you own the libs. Sometimes, the libs own you.

30 of the best Britishisms invading America:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-19929249

It's not personal. It's just war.

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Wednesday, October 17, 2012 4:57 AM

KWICKO

I also like "top tip" instead of "helpful hint". I've probably been watching too much Edd China on "Wheeler Dealers".

"I supported Bush in 2000 and 2004 and intellegence [sic] had very little to do with that decision." - Hero

"I was wrong" - Hero, 2012

Mitt Romney, introducing his running mate: "Join me in welcoming the next President of the United States, Paul Ryan!"

Rappy's response? "You're lying, gullible ( believing in some BS you heard on msnbc ) or hard of hearing."

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Thursday, October 18, 2012 1:29 AM

PEACEKEEPER

Keeping order in every verse

We have a few dialectical phrases too. if you are from Birmingham, something good is "Busting",in London, it's "Top Banana".If you are in Manchester and it's not so good, it's "Bobbins".
And lets not forget Cockney rhyming slang. "Penny Plates" (smelly feet)."Bird Pins"(long legs)."Mince Pies"(eyes).

With the grace of age, commander, we learn to accept.

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Thursday, October 18, 2012 2:03 AM

AURAPTOR

America loves a winner!

Quote:
Originally posted by Magonsdaughter:
Yes, 'dude' is lamentable here.

Never been fond of 'guy' instead of 'bloke'

'Whatever'???? Don't know where that came from, but its ubiqitious use by children in response to adults is awful.

I find it sorta funny when girls use 'dude', even if referring to other females.

'What-ever' , as I understand it, has its origins from the California Valley girl dialect, or Valleyspeak.

Side note - I was always put off by the term 'strange', when used to refer to a one night stand. " Gonna go find me some strange tonight " .

My 'guess' is that it actually comes from the Bible, no less, referring to 'strange women', or prostitutes, or in the common usage, some 'easy' man/woman for the purpose of sex.

Not sure where that came from, though.

" I do not love the bright sword for its sharpness, nor the arrow for its swiftness, nor the warrior for his glory. I love only that which they defend. "

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Thursday, October 18, 2012 3:44 AM

WISHIMAY

BEST LINE OF 'EM EVER... So delightfully profane...

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